Wladimir Balentien | Outfielder

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Wladimir Balentien pleaded not guilty to domestic violence charges in Florida on Friday.

Balentien set Japan's single-season home run record last year with 60. He previously played for the Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners. The slugger was charged with false imprisonment and battery after a confrontation with his estranged wife in Miami. He is under contract with the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League through 2015. Mon, Jan 27, 2014 09:56:00 AM

Wladimir Balentien was arrested in the Miami area this weekend on charges of domestic violence.

According to the Associated Press, Balentien is "facing a felony false imprisonment charge and a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from a weekend confrontation at his wife's Miami-area house." The two are going through a divorce and authorities claim that Balentien broke into the home uninvited. Balentien played for the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League in 2013 and broke Nippon Professional Baseball's single-season home run record. He is under contract with Yakult through 2015. Mon, Jan 13, 2014 01:37:00 PM

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that "some within" the Giants organization have discussed the possibility of acquiring Wladimir Balentien from the Yakult Swallows of Japan's Central League.

Balentien, a former top prospect with the Mariners, has connected for a record-breaking 56 home runs this season in Japan. It's worth noting that the conversations within the organization have been theoretical and have not involved general manager Brian Sabean. "He wants to come back," said Giants hitting coach Hensley Meulens. "That's what he told me two or three weeks ago. His dream is to come back and play in the major leagues." One complication for a return to the majors is that Balentien is under contract with the Swallows for two more seasons. Wed, Sep 18, 2013 02:40:00 PM

Wladimir Balentien tied the single-season Japanese single-season home run record by corking No. 55 on Wednesday.

He equaled the feat previously accomplished by three players: Sadaharu Oh in 1964, Tuffy Rhodes in 2001 and Alex Cabrera in 2002. Balentien, who played for the Reds and Mariners, hit 31 homers in each of the past two seasons for the Yakult Swallows. He has 21 games left to break one of Japan's most fabled records. Wed, Sep 11, 2013 08:59:00 AM